"My Name is Changing"

The day had been long and strange, but what happened before the last class completely changed the course of my thoughts. I was walking down the hallway, barely paying attention to the guys around me, when suddenly I saw Brooke. She was standing in a corner, waiting for me, with that determined expression that always made me nervous.

— Evan —she called. I stopped and looked at her, not knowing what to expect.

She walked toward me, with no sign that what was coming would be anything easy. In fact, something about her posture made me know that what she was about to say wasn’t going to be pleasant.

— From now on, I want you to be called Eva —she stated, without hesitation, as if she had already decided this a long time ago.

I didn’t know how to react. Eva. My mind started spinning. Why? What was going on? Why was she changing my name? I didn’t understand, and the discomfort hit me immediately.

— What? —I responded, unable to hide my surprise.

Brooke, with an unsettling calmness, looked at me intently.

— Eva... I think it’s a more appropriate name for you now. —she said, and there wasn’t even a hint of doubt in her voice. — It's what you are now, isn’t it?

I tried to say something, to argue, but the words got stuck in my throat. Why? Why now? I didn’t want to be a girl. That wasn’t what I wanted, and even less for everyone to call me Eva. I was trapped, my mind couldn’t stop turning those words over and over.

But there was no room for objections. Brooke went on with her plan.

— And starting tomorrow, you’ll wear a skirt or a dress. Nothing too flashy, but I want you to start dressing according to how you feel now. Also, some makeup. Just a little touch, but I want you to look a bit more feminine. —her voice was firm, unshakable.

Skirts. Makeup. What was she talking about? I was completely overwhelmed. The air around me felt heavier. Was I really hearing this? My name was changing, and so was my wardrobe. Everything was being decided by her, and I had no say in any of it.

Then, something made me snap out of it. This isn’t real. I’m dreaming. This couldn’t be true, right? But no, the reality hit me like a bucket of cold water. I was trapped, all because of that damn contract and the damn concert ticket.

— No... —I murmured, almost whispering, but Brooke had already walked away. She didn’t stop. She simply turned her back and walked off to her next class, leaving me standing there, in the middle of the hallway, not knowing what to do.

I felt the weight of her words crushing me. Eva. Everything I had been before, everything I had known, was falling apart. I don’t want to be a girl, I thought, but that strange feeling, that persistent discomfort, told me that things weren’t as simple as I wanted to believe.

As the hours passed and the last class began, I felt completely out of place. My classmates seemed normal, unaware of everything that was going on in my head. While they discussed trivial things, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Brooke had said. Eva. That was my name now. And the worst part was that I wasn’t sure if some part of me had already started to accept what she was suggesting, even though I hated it.

I just wanted the day to end and escape to my house. I needed to rest from all of this, from everything I was feeling. But at the same time, I knew I was trapped. I’m still trapped in this, I kept telling myself, though I couldn’t even tell if it was frustration or resignation that dominated me the most.

I didn’t even notice when the classes ended or when I was walking down the halls toward the exit to go to Brooke’s house, where I was staying until the contract was finished.

Suddenly, a group of boys passed by and, without warning, threw several water balloons that hit me directly. A few seconds later, I felt the fabric of my uniform stick to my body, soaking me from head to toe.

— Look, it seems like the girl is ready for a bath! —they mocked, laughing.

My wet clothes now clung to my body, outlining my figure. I caught a glimpse of myself in the eyes of my classmates, and for a moment, something strange happened: it wasn’t just the discomfort of being drenched, but as I looked at myself, it seemed that my figure was now more delicate, more feminine.

The heat of embarrassment washed over me. What had happened? How had I gotten here? All of this was because of the contract, because of the promise I made to my sister. I stood up, wiping the water off my face, but at the same time, I felt something stirring inside me. My mind couldn’t stop asking: What am I doing? What’s happening to me?

I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t know what to do. I just felt the urge to run, to escape from it all. I didn’t want to face any more looks, or hear any more mockery. So, without thinking, I walked away, crying, unable to bear what was happening to me.

The worst part was that I knew I couldn’t escape. I was trapped in a web of expectations that I couldn’t control.